Waterfalls, Scenic Detours and a Biking Adventure

When I heard that there is a waterfall in New Harris, Cape Breton, just a few kilometres from the Trans Canada Highway, I told myself I would find it before summer's end.  When I heard that the road leading to the waterfall was a wood road leading through a forested area along the water, I decided I would ride my bike to the trail leading to the falls.  I am currently on the lookout for new places to explore with my bike since I now have a bike rack on my car.

I did end up making it to that trail  and to the waterfalls but not with my bike.  I drove to New Harris and as far as the road would go, looking for a trail that could potentially lead to a waterfall.  I heard it was on the right side near the bridge going toward Camp Carter.  I reached the bridge but saw nothing that even remotely looked like a trail so I stopped at some picnic tables near Camp Carter and ate lunch while enjoying the beautiful fall colours that surrounded me.

I continued on to the end of that road, admiring the colourful landscape.  When the road ended and my car could not continue on the narrow ATV trail ahead, I turned back and resumed my search for the trail to the waterfall.  As I drove over the bridge (which I assumed must have been in the vicinity of the waterfall as it went over a river), I noticed some flattened grass near the ditch on the other side.  I got out to investigate and discovered that it was a trail that led along the river and likely to a waterfall. An easy ten-minute hike through some trees brought me to what I was looking for.

 I don't know what the official name of these fall is, but I've heard people call them Camp Carter Falls or simply the waterfalls at Camp Carter.  The trail came out at the top of the falls where I could hear the water rushing and see the spray.  However, I couldn't get a good view of them from that angle so I made my way to the bottom.  Not as easy as it sounds.  A rope was involved.  And some mud and slippery rocks and a steep embankment.  But the view of the falls at the bottom made it worth it.  I rested for a bit and took in those natural surroundings with the changing leaves, the thunderous roar of tons of water coming down into the river below and the felling of cool water lightly spraying my face.  When it started to get dark, I went back up the rope (it was much easier going up!) and headed back to the car.

Instead of taking the 125 all the way home, I made a detour I hadn't taken in many years.  I took the turn-off to Black Rock for a change of scenery and out of curiosity as I forgot what was down there.  I saw some new houses, some very nice ones too and a splendid view of the Bird Islands and then it was back to the TCH and onto the 125...the route home.

 Later that week, I embarked on another late fall adventure, one that I didn't think I would get to do once the weather turned cold.  A few days before I embarked on a bike ride to the Sand Lake/Port Morien area, I was monitoring the weather for possible warm breaks that would allow me to go on a few late-season bike adventures.  A break came on a sunny Wednesday with temperatures predicted to reach the high teens by midday.  I got my gear ready and put my bike on the car rack and off I went.

I made the 40-minute drive to Marconi Towers Rd, and parked on the gravel area near the community mailbox.  It rained periodically on the drive from New Waterford but by the time I got the bike off the rack and was ready to go, the clouds had cleared and the sun was out.

I avoided the main road at first and turned onto Marconi Towers Rd. toward the old wood road leading to Sand Lake.  The wind had died down which made the drive through that rural area that much more enjoyable.  The trees were at their autumn height; bright leaves in shades of yellow, orange and red.  And there was no one else around.  No cars, no people, not even any other bikers.  Just me...until I reached the hill approaching the lake and that is where I came across the orange"construction ahead" signs. It was too late to turn around so I waited until the flag person waved me along and I reluctantly passed dangerously close to moving machinery and endured the deafening sound of their workings until I reached the lake path on the other side.  I drove until I reached a quiet spot where I could rest and take in the views .

I only drove along this lake a few times never actually stopped and took a good look at it.  It's strange how I will travel all the way to Ingonish to enjoy Warren Lake, which is a two-and-a-half hour drive away, but this beautiful lake has always been here and it's only a half-hour drive away...and I never think of going there.

I intended to reach to turn around and head back to the car the same way but I kept going instead.  It was so warm and I was loving the fall breeze on my face as I cruised those back roads.  I eventually ended up back on the highway and turned towards Port Morien and that is where I ended up.

It was late in the afternoon and the sun was getting low in the sky when I reached the look off at Port Morien.  I got off the bike and walked down the stairs to the little beach and sat and enjoyed the view of the fishing docks and calm waters of the bay. I could have stayed there all evening but I was not equipped for safe bicycling at night.  I reluctantly headed back to the car.  I took the same way back down the highway, onto the gravel road along the lake, past the construction crew and back to my car.  The sun was starting to go down by that time but rush hour had already gone by so I was in for a relaxing evening n my drive home.

A Late Fall Hike to Grand River Falls

A hike to Grand River Falls was in the making for over a year before it finally happened this Fall. Something always got in the way every time I tried to plan this hike. Weather, last minute appointments, a busy work schedule and last minute car repairs are just some of the things that got in the way. However, it is often said that things happen for a reason. I believe the reason so many things got in the way of the hike being done months ago had to do with the powers-that-be working their magic to align everything just perfectly...because everything was perfect that day including the weather which was perfect with no precipitation or wind. This is a rare event in late fall anywhere in Nova Scotia, especially in Cape Breton.

Grand River Falls

Grand River Falls is located in an area of the island that I'm just starting to really get to know. I call this entire area Framboise but it is actually a number of small communities spread out over a fairly large area. The Trail is about a half hour from the town of St. Peters. The area is quite remote with few houses and few people so I was pretty much guaranteed to get some much needed one-on-one time with nature.

I found the trail entrance without any trouble and it looked surprisingly well-maintained. I parked my car near the main road as I didn't want to chance bringing it onto a poorly-maintained backroad in the middle of nowhere but the trail actually did look good enough to drive on! I put on my hunters orange vest and toque (it was still deer hunting season when I did this hike, so better safe than sorry) and grabbed my sturdy walking stick.

It was easy walking along that old wood road. I had no idea how long it would take me to get to the falls but I figured it would be a while since I couldn't hear any water running. I'm guessing it was about 30 minutes into my walk that I started to hear the roar of water rushing downward and I reached the falls about ten minutes after that.
The falls were nothing like I expected. I had no idea what they were going to look like but I imagined them in a different way. For starters, I didn't think there would be so much water and I didn't think they would be so easily accessible.
The most unique feature about the area around the falls is the salmon ladder that runs alongside the falls. In early summer, salmon can be seen using the ladder which has been in place since the late 1800's and to this day serves the purpose of aiding in the maintenance of the salmon population. I didn't see any salmon on this day but it was still interesting to see it and get an idea of how it works. I later heard that bald eagles are often spotted fishing for their lunch when the salmon arrive so I made a mental note to myself to go back there in the summer.

the salmon ladder

I wandered around taking pictures and familiarizing myself with the area before finding a spot that overlooked the cascading falls and river. I always carefully choose my resting/picnicking spots based on the following criteria:
1) Comfort
2) Scenery
3) Safety
4) Shelter
The spot I picked as my resting place to have my tea and egg salad sandwich fit all my criteria perfectly. It was comfortable, it was surrounded by beautiful, natural scenery, it was safe and it was nicely sheltered out of the wind.
I stayed there for some time taking in that invigorating, fresh air. Winters are long and harsh in Cape Breton and the fall is usually not much better with cold, north-easterly winds and lots of rain so I was very lucky to have been graced with such a warm, sunny day. I let my senses take over. I let my eyes take in the sight before me - trees dancing in a gentle breeze and fresh, clean water cascading downriver through a valley of red, gold and orange fall foliage. I let my nose take in the smell of damp moss and slowly dying forest. I let my hands feel the last remnants of summer around me knowing full well that soon it would be covered in a thick white blanket of snow and ice. I let my ears hear the singing of the birds and rustling of the leaves that would soon fall silent.
I tried to stretch out the hike back to the car for as long as I could, stopping every so often to engage my senses in those tranquil surroundings but, alas, I spotted a glimmer of late afternoon sun hitting the hood of my car in the distance and in a few seconds my late-fall hike, the last real hike of the season, came to an end.
If you've been reading this blog for some time now, you probably know me fairly well or at least well enough to know that just because a hike is completed that doesn't mean my day is completed. I spent the early evening driving around the country back roads of the Framboise area looking for deer and other wildlife. I did see one deer darting across the road but fortunately I didn't see any of those bears that have recently been spotted in the area. I drove around some more admiring the old abandoned country houses that dot many of grown-over fields before driving through L'Ardoise and onto St. Peter's to grab a coffee and make the long drive home along Route 4 and the Bras d'or Lakes. Another trail knocked off that list!

An old Abandoned House

A Hike To Oban Falls in Richmond County

The weather is staying fairly nice here in Cape Breton and that means I am still spending a lot of times outdoors. I’m certainly making up for the lack of hiking over the summer. Just this past weekend, I managed to knock another hiking trail off my hiking bucket list; Oban Falls.

I always knew there were waterfalls somewhere in the St. Peter’s area but I never knew where they were and never bothered to go looking for them. Until recently, much of my hiking was done in the Highlands area of the island and I am only lately becoming more familiar with the Richmond county area. So when a friend suggested we hike to Oban Falls, I jumped at the chance and we agreed on that upcoming Sunday because it was supposed to be sunny and fairly warm.

I made the two-hour drive to St. Peter’s and met up with the rest of the group who would be joining us on the hike. The trailhead to the falls is located about fifteen minutes from the village of St. Peter’s – about five minutes on the main highway and another ten minutes along a side road that eventually switches from pavement to gravel. Almost everyone else in the group had hiked Oban before so they knew what to expect. I was told two things before we arrived; 1) the trail would be wet and muddy due to recent rains and 2) a friendly dog who lives in the home near the trail would be joining us. Apparently she thinks it is her duty to guide hikers along that trail that she knows so well.
Before we even opened our car doors, the eager guide-dog was there to greet us. I liked the idea of having two fairly large dogs with us (one of the other hikers in our group brought along her dog as well) both for company and protection. After only traversing a few feet, I discovered that “wet and muddy” was an understatement. It’s so fun to watch the dogs trudging through the mud and bushes without a care in the world while we tried to avoid getting wet at all costs! The puddles were so large and deep that they completely blocked the trail and we had to either hang onto tree branches as we carefully made out way along the narrow edge or we had to leave the trail altogether and bushwhack our way around the swampy areas. At one point, I lost my grip on a tree branch I was using for support and found myself knee-deep in the water. It’s a good thing I brought along an extra pair of socks because my feet would have been frozen stiff by time we made it back to the car! The whole trail wasn’t like this and we came to a clearing near a foot bridge…which looked like an obstacle in itself. My trailmates insisted the flimsy looking bridge was completely safe and even ATV’s crossed over it with no problems. I still insisted that we cross it one at a time and when my turn came, I carefully but quickly made my way across.

Although the trail was a bit difficult, it wasn’t too long and soon we found ourselves at the top of the falls looking down a cliff. Upon closer inspection, I saw that there was a rope lying close to the ground and it was tried around trees all the way down to the bottom. One by one, others in the group began the descent. I wasn’t expecting any climbing to be involved in this hike and I debated for about thirty seconds whether I should attempt that slippery, muddy, dangerous looking descent. As usual, I erred on the side of danger, excitement and the prospect of trying something new. I grabbed the rope and carefully descended. It wasn’t dangerous at all except for that one tree that was attached to the rope but not quite attached to the ground.
Oban Falls was is quite a sight. The recent heavy rains ensured that plenty of water was gushing over the side and they were much taller than I thought they would be. We lingered for a bit, listening to the beautiful sounds and taking in the serene, natural surroundings. I love the sound of waterfalls…so peaceful and relaxing. Had it been warmer, I could have stayed there all day.

Going up the rope was a little harder than going down. Once we all made it back to the top, we took a little detour to a nearby lake that was in the area. No one seemed to know the name of this lake but agreed that it’s most likely called Oban Lake, which would make sense. We had to leave the main trail and trudge through a swampy area in order to access the lake. It’s a good thing everyone else had a good sense of direction because I would’ve never found my way back to that trail! On the way back, we made another little detour to the top of the falls and hiked along the river for a bit.

The sun was starting to descend in the sky as we reached that old rickety bridge and made our way through that puddle-laden section of trail and back to our vehicles.
During the drive back to St. Peter’s, I learned about some more great hiking trails in the area. Who knew such a little island could have so many trails and new places to be discovered. I’ve been exploring Cape Breton Island my whole life and I am still discovering new places all the time. It was almost dark when I made it back to my car. I changed into my dry shoes and settled in for a long but relaxing drive on Route 4 along the Bras d’Or Lakes. Another day lovely day spent in the woods, another trail crossed off my list!

Just Another Day in Montezuma, Costa Rica - Ziplining and Montezuma Falls

One of the best things about my trip to Costa Rica was I didn't have to decide where to go in Costa Rica during my first week in the country.  Also, one of the worse things about my trip was that I didn't have a choice in where to go in Costa Rica during the first week because I won that leg of the trip in an online contest.   My third day in Montezuma, Costa Rica incorporated some of the adventure aspect of my yoga and adventure package through Anamaya – Ziplining. I remember when ziplining first became popular and always wanted to try it. So, what is Ziplining? Well, it's basically an activity that sees you harnessed into a contraption that hangs from a sturdy wire and you propel yourself from a platform while hanging hundreds of feet over the rainforest canopy.

People back home thought I was crazy. Why on earth would I want to strap myself to a harness, suspend myself hundreds of feet in the air and zip through the rainforest canopy at lightning speed? My answer to that was “why wouldn’t I”. I am not in the least bit afraid of heights. Nothing about being high in the air scares me. Flying, rock climbing, cliff scaling, jumping off waterfalls, hanging over the side of a 100-storey building to get a better view…none of these things scare me. Let's just say that when it was all said and done,  the thought that I should have never gone ziplining didn't cross my mind. But, I have to admit, I was a little scared of the ziplining and it wasn’t the heights that scared me, it was what I was being strapped to. It didn’t sound safe to me. I thought about it for a few moments and than the thought was gone. That’s the way I am. If I want to do something, I do it, no matter how afraid I am and those fears didn’t stop me from ziplining that day. My friends call me fearless but I’ll be the first to admit that I have been afraid many times in my life. The difference between me and most people is I don’t let those fears take over my life and stop me from living it to the fullest. I’ve rarely let fear stop me from doing something and each and every time I was afraid to do something and did it anyway, the results were always the same; no regrets! And I am still alive so I had nothing to be afraid of.

The walk to Sun Trails, the company offering the ziplining and waterfall tour, only took about ten minutes but, as with every walk I took in Montezuma, you just never know what you are going to see. This time, it was a family of howler monkeys with babies in tow hopping from tree to tree.

Upon arrival at Sun Trails, I was given a crash course on proper ziplining. How to hold on, how to slow down, how to stop, how to go faster and how to avoid spinning out of control on the way across. I was than given a hard hat, strapped into a harness and lead to the launching platform. It was a good thing I was harnessed in because the platform was quite shaky and there was a very high drop into the forest below me. Three people were launched off that platform before I was up and before I knew it, I was soaring over the canopy at top speed. What a view! And it was not in the least bit scary. The only thing was it was over too quickly. I thought the ziplining tour would be one launch and than a hike to the waterfalls for a swim and that would be it but once I was unhooked from that platform, I was lead to another one and launched from an even higher and longer zipline and than another one that was again higher and longer. When I reached the 7th platform, what was being built up on those smaller and shorter runs became apparent; this last launch was much longer and much higher than any of the other ones and, just to add that much more adrenaline, instead of just sliding off the platform, the guide hauled me backwards, spun me around in the opposite direction and pushed me off it with all his might. I was sent spinning at lightning speed towards the final platform. I was barely able to stop on the other side but someone was there waiting to help me brace myself from smashing into the trees. Now that was scary!

By that time, the midday sun was out in full force and the heat was almost unbearable so I was looking forward to the hike to Montezuma Falls. There were two waterfalls and the top one had a fairly large and deep pool that visitors could swim in. There are only two ways to get into that pool; jump 15 feet from the top of the smaller falls or walk over jagged rocks and slide in from the side. I wanted so badly to jump but I forgot to wear my contact lenses that day and didn’t want to leave my glasses behind and jump blindly into the water below so I took the other route. Apparently, jumping off the falls is like some sort of initiation and if you don’t do it, you suffered through the poking and teasing that comes along with not following the “rules” of the land.

Back at Anamaya, the hammock overlooking the ocean was empty. I had been trying to claim this hammock for days but every time I got to it, someone else was already in it. With everyone gone into town for the evening, I pretty much had the place to myself and there was no way I could pass up the opportunity to relax in that hammock and watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. I fell asleep and awoke many hours later. Everyone else must have returned from town and gone straight to their rooms while I was asleep because most of the lights were out and there was no one in sight. The two main doors were still open and I remembered what we had been told during orientation; The last person to leave the main house was to make sure the doors were closed because if they remained open, the monkeys would walk in, open the fridge and take any food they could carry with them. I made sure everything was fastened tight before heading to bed because I’m sure it would not have gone over well if there were no breakfast served the next morning.